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29 March 2024

India's Ashwin destroys Windies once more

Published
By Agencies

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tormented the West Indies yet again to claim a second consecutive five-wicket innings haul and dismiss the home side for 196 on the opening day of the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Saturday.

Lokesh Rahul then made the most of his inclusion in the final 11 in place of the injured Murali Vijay, reaching an unbeaten 75 as India closed the first day at 126 for one in reply.

Ashwin followed up his haul of seven for 83 in the final innings of the first Test a week earlier with five for 52 on a pitch offering turn and bounce from the very first session of play.

He became just the third Indian bowler to have five-wicket innings hauls in three consecutive Test matches after fellow spinners Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and current coach Anil Kumble.

"Going into any match I assess the batsmen in the opposition to see if I have dismissed them before," said Ashwin after the day's play.

"I then work on getting them out based on their strengths and weaknesses. It's never as easy as it looks sometimes but it's gone really well for me in the last two innings."

Ashwin's performance, hot on the heels of a century in the first test in Antigua where he also took 7-83 in the second innings in a big India victory, reaffirmed his reputation as arguably the world's best all-rounder.

"I'm very happy for today. A first-day five-wicket haul is obviously something a spinner will cherish," Ashwin said in an on-field interview.

"I thought the ball came out really well and I just took off from the last game where I left off."

Ashwin revealed a keen tactical mind, saying he analyses all of his batting opponents and tries to plot not only the best way to dismiss them, but also how to keep them from scoring freely.

"I see the situation of the game, pretty much plan to a batsman's strength, try to see how I can cut the runs and the strong points of opposition batsmen. For example, Jermaine Blackwood really plays well through the off side."

He was referring to Windies number five Blackwood, who top-scored with a run-a-ball 62 that included four sixes and seven fours.

Blackwood was adjudged leg before wicket to Ashwin, but the bowler most savoured the departure of number four Marlon Samuels, who scored an obdurate 37 and shared a fourth-wicket stand of 81 with Blackwood.

Samuels hoisted Ashwin for six in the 30th over but was dismissed the very next ball, caught bat-pad at short leg.

"I was really pleased, having been hit for six, I still had the courage to throw it up there," Ashwin said.

Earlier, paceman Ishant Sharma greased the wheels by picking up two early wickets with a devastating opening spell of seam bowling.

The Windies, who won the toss and batted, lost their first three wickets for only seven runs.

Local man Blackwood, under pressure to justify his spot in the team after a pair in the first Test, decided attack was the best form of defence.

"That's me naturally. I'm very aggressive," he said. "The ball was doing a bit, the bowlers were bowling pretty good so I just (wanted to) put them under some pressure."

That he did, but without much help the Windies were in a very big hole by the day's end.